Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kardzhali

For one person, living is cheaper in Kardzhali: $653 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Kardzhali
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Kardzhali Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Kardzhali

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$653

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Kardzhali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Kardzhali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,207 per month in Phuket vs $653 in Kardzhali, rent included.

Phuket $1,207
Kardzhali $653

A couple spends around $2,037 per month in Phuket vs $1,071 in Kardzhali, rent included.

Phuket $2,037
Kardzhali $1,071

A family of three spends $2,867 per month in Phuket vs $1,489 in Kardzhali, rent included.

Phuket $2,867
Kardzhali $1,489

Phuket costs about 85% more than Kardzhali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Kardzhali are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Kardzhali 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 ฿153

$11.22 BGN 19.52

-59.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.48 ฿1,086

$22.74 BGN 39.57

42.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ฿286

$9.05 BGN 15.75

-5.52%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.0

$1.11 BGN 1.92

145.05%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 ฿31.25

$1.04 BGN 1.80

-9.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.39

$0.70 BGN 1.21

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

$1.62 BGN 2.82

59.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$1.33 BGN 2.31

187.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.1

$1.64 BGN 2.85

6.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.82

$0.74 BGN 1.29

93.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.0

$1.43 BGN 2.49

6.99%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$2.81 BGN 4.89

-22.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ฿640

$10.16 BGN 17.68

88.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿110

$5.60 BGN 9.75

-41.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿372

$6.74 BGN 11.73

65.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.5

$0.90 BGN 1.56

227.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$2.04 BGN 3.55

-17.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿76.8

$1.93 BGN 3.35

19.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿71.3

$2.13 BGN 3.71

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.1

$0.65 BGN 1.13

135.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.55

$1.27 BGN 2.22

7.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ฿37.44

$0.72 BGN 1.26

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.80 BGN 1.39

-31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.59 BGN 6.25

18.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 ฿608

$4.56 BGN 7.94

298.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.2

$1.05 BGN 1.83

65.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.3

$1.42 BGN 2.46

96.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿74.1

$0.54 BGN 0.95

311.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

$11.13 BGN 19.36

98.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ฿97.3

$1.69 BGN 2.94

72.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ฿33.79

$0.70 BGN 1.23

44.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ฿128

$5.65 BGN 9.83

-32.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.85

$1.70 BGN 2.97

-12.35%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.7K ฿891.6K

$29.7K BGN 51.7K

-10.22%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.7K ฿892.7K

$22.4K BGN 39.0K

19.23%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$99.4 ฿3,321

$60.9 BGN 106

63.06%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.28 ฿377

$5.73 BGN 9.97

96.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 ฿580

$7.65 BGN 13.30

126.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ฿1,747

$23.14 BGN 40.26

125.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ฿253

$8.43 BGN 14.67

-10.20%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$558 ฿18.7K

$230 BGN 401

142.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.9K

$14.5K BGN 25.2K

-20.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ฿2,102

$22.87 BGN 39.79

174.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.58 ฿955

$12.49 BGN 21.73

128.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ฿3,213

$45.07 BGN 78.4

113.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 ฿2,943

$75.0 BGN 130

17.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ฿24.4K

$114 BGN 198

541.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ฿15.4K

$114 BGN 198

303.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ฿70.0K

$228 BGN 396

819.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 ฿40.8K

$275 BGN 479

344.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,459 ฿115.6K

$1,145 BGN 1,993

202.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 ฿83.2K

$858 BGN 1,493

189.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$493 ฿16.5K

$1,281 BGN 2,229

-61.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.25

71.38%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kardzhali: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$460 38.1%

Kardzhali

$114 17.5% 75.2% $346

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.2%

Kardzhali

$189 28.9% 29.4% $79

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$128 10.6%

Kardzhali

$74 11.4% 41.9% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Kardzhali

$70 10.7% 43.6% $54

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10.1%

Kardzhali

$148 22.6% 21.9% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$67 5.6%

Kardzhali

$40 6.1% 40.7% $27

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.2%

Kardzhali

$19 2.8% 52.4% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $729 in Phuket versus $114 in Kardzhali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 160% higher in Kardzhali, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in Kardzhali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $189 – making Kardzhali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇧🇬 Kardzhali

🕒 Local time

20:31 8:31 PM

16:31 4:31 PM

4 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

49,421

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Kardzhali 8,020 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Kardzhali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Kardzhali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 85% more than Kardzhali, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,811 per month in Phuket and $980 in Kardzhali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kardzhali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,207 in Phuket and $653 in Kardzhali. That's a gap of about 85%.

Public transport costs about 98% less in Kardzhali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kardzhali, where all-in costs run around $653, than in Phuket at $1,207. In Kardzhali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kardzhali costs $653 versus $1,207 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kardzhali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.